Ansonia CFO Kurt Miller’s response to my 2024 budget review is typical of the current administration’s tactics. I was initially excited and hoped to read an intelligent and informative letter. Instead of informing and educating, he continues to beat around the bush, deflect and attack when issues are brought to the table.
- Mr. Miller stated that I do not understand the bottom line of a municipal budget – but he failed to tell us what that bottom line is, while twisting my words. I did not state that taxpayers should be denied tax reductions.
- He stated that I was against an increase in funding for emergency services and education funding. I never stated that in my letter. Similar to Tony Mammone’s libelous comment that I was a critic of the Ansonia PD, Miller tries to discredit me in the eyes of taxpayers.
- He stated the $11 million in bond monies was directly for the renovation of 65 Main St. The city had already spent over $10 million before the bond was issued. It was clearly to replenish the fund balance.
- Mr. Miller was very deceptive in calling the city’s surpluses “genuine.”
The bond premium and BOE giveback were one-time events. These are not recurring revenue sources and are a prime example of the smoke and mirrors accounting culture in City Hall.
- He blames the 2022 deficit on the city losing $1 million of “expected funding” from the state. There was a whole series of articles last year about how Mr. Miller used inaccurate numbers and made bad assumptions based on an outside source – not the state – when crafting the budget. He then tried to cover up his mistake by blaming people who never gave him those numbers.
- Despite Mr. Miller’s claims, the city budget was not transparent. The budget was presented 2 – 3 months later than the city charter requirements, and includes a pie-in-the-sky $5 million “Use of Future Revenues” item, which has yet to be detailed or explained. Additionally, he stated to The Valley Indy that if the $5 million Future Revenue line item fails to materialize, that there is a $100k — $300K contingency plan to offset the shortfall. That still leaves a $4,700,000 gap. By the way, the $5 million Future Revenue gimmick has made City Hall the butt of all jokes in the Valley and State of Connecticut.
As First Selectman of Seymour Miller attempted to push through bonding (debt). Fortunately the Seymour Board saw through his smoke and mirror games. Was this to hide the pending revenue-expense shortfall similar to Ansonia? Seymour implemented a sizable tax increase after his departure as First Selectman. If he spent less time on the golf course during the day he might still be First Selectman.
As CFO he now has to do some work. Unfortunately to date he is not adequately performing his duties as CFO to earn his $140k salary. The budget is three months late. Audit reports continue to run 2 – 3 months late. There’s $5 Million in unspecified, speculative revenues jammed into the budget — almost as a placeholder — that may or may not come to fruition. It’s dodge ball mixed with sleight-of-hand.
When will the taxpayers get real answers instead of smoke and mirrors?
Sincerely,
Richard Tylinski
ANSONIA
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